Did you know a baby typically goes through around 8,000 disposable diapers before being potty trained? That’s a lot of diapers! Not only does it cost around $75 a month or $900 a year, but it also harms the environment.
Disposable diapers can harm the environment in many ways, not just by filling landfills. They can introduce feces into groundwater and contribute to the drilling problem because they are made of plastic, a petroleum-based product.
Although reusable cloth diapers are not perfect either, as growing cotton and washing the diapers require a lot of water, babies still need to be diapered. Overall, disposable diapers have many negative effects and harm the environment.
Introduces Human Feces To Groundwater
Did you know that disposable diapers can actually harm the environment when they end up in landfills? That’s because they’re filled with baby feces that aren’t always washed out before they’re thrown away. This means that when they end up in landfills, the fecal matter can seep into the groundwater, which is not good for the environment.
Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are a bit different. Fecal waste from cloth diapers gets flushed down the toilet and goes through sewage treatment facilities, which makes it less harmful to the environment. So, while disposable diapers can be convenient, they can also negatively affect the environment.
Takes Hundreds Of Years To Decompose
Did you know that disposable diapers make up about 2% of landfill waste in the United States? It’s crazy to think about, but they take a really long time to decompose because they’re made of plastic. In fact, it can take up to 500 years for just one disposable diaper to decompose!
That means that diapers used in the early 2000s won’t go away until around 2500 – and that’s just an estimate. Since disposable diapers only started being sold in 1948, we don’t know how long they’ll take to decompose because we haven’t been around long enough to find out.
Use Of Nonrecyclable Plastic
Did you know that disposable diapers are mostly made of the same type of plastic used in grocery bags, product packaging, and other household items? Plastic is actually really bad for the environment. It harms animals both on land and in the sea. What’s even worse is that the type of plastic used in diapers is not recyclable, so it just sits in landfills and doesn’t get used for anything else after the diaper is thrown away. This is definitely not good for the environment.
Diapers Are Petroleum Products
Did you know that plastic, used to make disposable diapers, is actually made from petroleum? This means that more oil must be extracted from the ground to produce all the plastic needed for disposable diapers. But oil drilling has a really negative impact on the environment. It generates pollution, contributes to climate change, and disrupts wildlife and public lands.
On the other hand, while cotton used for disposable diapers does require a lot of water to grow, it still has a smaller environmental impact than plastic. So, it’s important to consider the environmental impact of the materials used in products like diapers.
Uses Harmful Chemicals
Did you know that disposable diapers are made with many harmful chemicals? These chemicals are used in manufacturing and come from adhesives, synthetic dyes, and perfumes added to diapers.
Some chemicals used in disposable diapers are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like dipentene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene. These VOCs can be released into the air when the diapers are exposed to heat. And if that’s not bad enough, disposable diapers also contain dangerous phthalates.
Studies on lab animals have shown that phthalates are linked to reproductive health problems and early puberty. In humans, they may even lead to problems with brain development in children. So it’s important to consider what chemicals are in our products, like disposable diapers.
Releases Greenhouse Gases In Landfills
Disposable diapers significantly contribute to the production of methane, a greenhouse gas that is more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills that contain these diapers release methane gas into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
This is concerning, as methane has been responsible for approximately 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times. While some disposable diaper brands claim to be compostable, the reality is that most parents do not compost them, so they still end up in landfills, contributing to the problem.
Transportation Emissions As Disposable Diapers Get To Stores
Like many other products, disposable diapers need to be transported from the manufacturer to the stores where parents buy them. However, this transportation contributes to carbon emissions. Shipping overseas accounts for up to 4% of human-caused carbon emissions, which could increase to 17% by 2050.
In the US, trucks are responsible for 60% of freight-related emissions. Since disposable diapers need to be constantly replaced, this means more trucks and more emissions. As one baby can use around 3,000 disposable diapers in a year, this significantly impacts the environment.
Deplete The Ozone Layer
Disposable diapers can cause harm to the ozone layer as well. They release chlorofluorocarbons when left in landfills. The ozone layer is important because it blocks some of the sun’s radiation and absorbs UVB rays. These rays can harm our skin, crops, and marine life. The more disposable diapers in landfills, the more damage they can do to the ozone layer.
The Bottom Line
Disposable diapers have a significant impact on the environment. From manufacturing to disposal in landfills, every step of the way involves harmful chemicals, plastics, and emissions that contribute to climate change and harm the natural world. It is important to remember that small changes can make a big difference, and choosing eco-friendly diaper options is one way to reduce our impact on the planet.